Fit for a Queen(B)
by TheDevilHerself18
Summary: In a world where a tattoo like mark located somewhere on your body indicates who you should spend your life with, Blair Waldorf is about to get the surprise of her life. (I am yet to get the hang of summaries, so bear with me xD)
1. A not so safe bet

**I guess I am a bit of a hopeless romantic, and I am in love with the idea of Soulmates and Soul marks. I was shocked to see that there wasn't a single Blair/Chuck fic of the sort(or at least not that I could find it), so I decided to rectify that mistake.**

 **I own nothing.**

1\. A not so safe bet

It was the night before Blaire's eighteenth birthday and she was pacing her room rather nervously. It all came down to this. She was hours away from finally getting her mark. Anticipation and dread battled inside of her.

Ever since she was a child, she had listened to the stories about soulmate marks and they were the foundation of her deep-seated romanticism. For the past hundreds of years, on their 18th birthday people would get a tattoo like mark somewhere on their body, a mark unique to them and one other person, their soulmate.

Your soulmate was that one person that the gods or whichever forces controlled this universe intended for you. They would be the yin to your yang, the Brad to your Angelina, the milk to your Oreos. Sometimes you would meet them very soon after getting your mark, but sometimes it would take years. Some people had it easier, having marks somewhere on their faces, their necks, their hands and other visible areas, but when you had a mark say on your butt cheek, it was a bit harder to just stumble upon your soulmate.

Modern times changed the odds of course, there were numerous apps and agencies who helped connect soulmates for a healthy fee, but everyone was divided on this matter. Some people believed it should be spontaneous and not forced, that if you went about your life normally, you would meet your soulmate at exactly the right moment for you both. One thing almost everyone believed however was that the love in a Match, between true mates was the only kind of love worth having.

Everyone still dated of course, there was no problem in that, teenagers would still be teenagers, especially before getting their marks, but even marked people enjoyed relationships while waiting for their one and only. The worst thing in this world that could happen to a person was loosing a soulmate. After this happened, the usually brightly colored mark would sizzle out and fade to a sickly grey color.

Blair had grown up dreaming of her perfect match, even though her parents were one of those stubborn people who refused to acknowledge the importance of Soulmarks. She was used to seeing her parents mismatched marks, a burning fiery comet on her mother's shoulder and an indigo coloured geometrical pattern on her father's inner calf. Harold and Eleanor Waldorf had a wonderful life together and cherished their daughter, but they had both underestimated the importance of soul marks.

Two years ago, Harold had, ironically enough, met his match through Eleanor, as Roman had been a model contracted by Waldorf Designs for the fashion week. Harold had fought their connection for the longest time, refusing to admit to being wrong his whole life and reluctant to leave the life he had built. It had taken Eleanor Waldorf, one of the most powerful women of the Upper East Side, taking his hands in hers, thanking him for the wonderful 20 years they had shared together and for giving her their beautiful daughter, and then telling him, with tears barely contained in her eyes, that it was time for them both to stop defying destiny.

A year later, Eleanor would meet Cyrus Rose, a funny little man determined to make her laugh again. He courted her until she fell in love with his funny ways, and only then did he reveal the bright comet on his shoulder, saying she had kept him waiting for far too long.

All of these turbulences in Blaire's life, although painful at the time, only strengthened her desire to find such love one day. Which brings us to Blair pacing her room nervously. Blair had been with the gorgeous Nate Archibald for, well forever, as Chuck and Serena often joked, and she had a whole future planned out for the two of them. She had decided he would be her soulmate at a young age and maintained that position. After all, it wasn't uncommon for your soulmate to be someone you knew growing up, it happened all the time. Only now, mere hours before the big reveal, did she start questioning the certainty of getting a mark matching Nate's.

All of her closest friends had already gotten their marks earlier in the year. Serena got her's in July and it was a gorgeous peacock feather spreading from just under her left breast, going around her body and covering her left shoulder blade. It was beautiful, just like Serena, and the biggest surprise there was that Dan, the boy she had been dating for the past 2 months had the matching mark. After that, Dan was finally accepted into their group as an equal, despite his Brooklyn upbringing.

Chuck was the first one out of their group to get his, being born in January, but his was a mistery. Many people chose to keep their mark private, even from their friends, and Chuck was one of them. They all knew it must be in a private place and not that big since none of them had ever even glimpsed it, but guessing what it could be had become a favorite pastime for the group. He would only say he expected it to be "one helluva woman" if she could supposedly capture the heart of one Chuck Bass.

Nate had gotten his seven months previously and it was a beautifully green maple leaf across his right thigh, and while it might go beautifully with Nate, Blaire couldn't deny the gut feeling that it just wasn't something she would expect to see on her skin. Blaire shook her head thinking about all of her carefully laid-out plans and allowed herself a moment of reflection and doubt. Could she move on from Nate and their future or else, try to make it work with him regardless of her mark. If her parents had never met their soulmates, they would have kept being happy with each other and non-the-wiser about what destiny had in store. But could she live with and love Nate knowing there was someone out there designed by some otherworldly forces just for her. She knew she loved Nate, but she also believed in soulmate bonds with all her heart. She shook her head once more and sat on the bed, staring at her right thigh, as if willing it to give her an answer. She could still get Nate's leaf and all of this worry will have been for nothing. After all, if anyone could will destiny to do their bidding, it was Blair Waldorf.

 **This will be a multi-chapter fic, I don't yet have a full outline, I will happily listen to any and all suggestions/wishes. Please comment and let me know how you liked this first chapter which is introductory in a sense. :)**


	2. The mark

**Hey guys, sorry for the wait, I hope it wasn't too long. Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments and suggestions. A couple of you suggested the infinity symbol for Blair's mark, but I already had something in mind, and I think it will make sense to you guys to. There was also a auestion whether it would be a butterfly and I gave a nod to that in this chapter. Anyway, I really hope you like it and as always, tell me what you think.**

2\. The mark

Blair woke up with a start and looked around in confusion. She couldn't remember falling asleep last night, nor applying her moisturiser before going to bed. She slowly got up and headed towards the bathroom, freezing when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Last night came rushing back to her and she realised she had overslept the appearance of her mark. She inhaled deeply and tried to calm herself down.

"Don't panic Waldorf, it's just a mark.", she tried to convince her wide-eyed reflection.

She slowly let her gaze wonder down towards her thigh and inhaled sharply upon seeing the bare milky skin there. This was it, a final confirmation that Nate doesn't belong to her, nor she to him. The severity of this discovery settled itself deep in her stomach and she then proceeded to inspect the rest of her body in search of a mark she would forever bear on her skin. All of her limbs were as perfectly white as ever, so she slowly slid her nighty off. Her torso was also clear, and a quick perusal of her back in the mirror told her there was nothing there as well.

Just as she was about to check her neck, a silvery glimmer on her lower abdomen caught her eye. She lowered her panties and there it was, hugging the the inner side of her right hip rather possessively. A shiny silver crown. She traced the outline gently and felt a tingling in her fingers, the skin there didn't feel any different from before, it was as if the crown was always there. In that moment she knew she had to break up with Nate. This mark was fit for a Queen, and she believed any man who wore the matching one on his hip would be too.

Twenty minutes later had her entering the van der Woodsen apartment in search of Serena. She found her friend still asleep, her golden mane tangled around her head.

"Serena! Wake up!", she demanded, lifting the blinds and letting the light flood the entire room.

"Wha.. Noooo, Blair, leave me alone..", Serena mumbled, lifting the covers over her head and assuming the fetal position, as though that could somehow stop her persistent friend.

Blair sat down next to her on the bad and addressed her in a tiny voice.

"I don't have Nate's mark, S."

At this, Serena threw the covers off of herself and sat up staring at Blair through bloodshot eyes.

"Oh my God, B, I am SO sorry.", she said in a gentle voice and pulled Blair in a hug.

Blair hid her face in the crook of her best friend's neck and breathed Serena's familiar scent in. She would be okay, she felt weirdly calm though she could see Serena expected her to scream or cry or make a scene in general.

"Did you tell Nate yet?", Serena asked her,pulling away from the hug.

Blair sighed and looked at her hands, now clasped tightly in her lap.

"No, not yet. I don't really know what I'm even supposed to say. I mean, I know now that he has a soulmate out there somewhere, but I still feel like I'll be breaking his heart."

She looked up at Serena with pleading eyes, hoping her friend would have an answer. Serena in turn leaned back against the headboard and looked out the window before speaking.

"I know B, I remember thinking about what I would tell Dan the entire night before my marking. I mean, I figured what were the odds, I never truly believed he would be my soulmate, no matter how much I wanted it, not really.."

She trails off, remembering the frightening night of waiting for a confirmation of what everyone was telling her, that Dan and her could never be and that she couldn't fight the natural order of things. She looked at Blair, seated on her bed, looking defeated, a look that definitely wasn't suited for her fierce best friend and she leaned over to take Blair's hand.

"Blair... Hey, look at me." She waited until Blair met her eyes and gave her a small smile, squeezing her hand.

"Look, I know that Nate is your first love, and a part of your dream for a movie like future, but I also know how strongly you believe in being with your soulmate. You shouldn't have to compromise that belief."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Blair's lips upon hearing her friends reasoning.

"I know that S. I mean, I thought I might be able to ignore the marks for Nate, but then I saw mine and it's perfect. Wanna see?", she asks with a new glint in her eye.

Serena bounced happily on her bed and started looking over Blair's body.

"Show me, where is it, what is it? I've been dying to see it."

Blair laughed at Serena's child like wonder and turned around.

"Unzip my dress, it's in a sort of private place."

Serena got up and hastily complied. Blair shrugged out of her dress and laid it carefully over a chair before turning around to see a confused looking Serena.

"Well, I must say, it has got to be very well hidden."

Blair smiled and tugged her panty line slightly down.

"I know, it took me a while to see it too."

Serena looked at the small crown reverently and reached out her hand, looking up at Blair for permission.

"Go ahead, I touched yours after all.", Blair said smiling wickedly.

Serena rolled her eyes at her friend's antics before tracing the outline of a single ruby in the center of the crown.

"You make everything sound dirty, you're worse than Bass."

Blair laughed as she shivered from the feel of Serena's cold fingertips on her skin.

"It's a talent really. So... What do you think?"

Serena moved her hand and looked up at Blair, smiling.

"It's beautiful." Serena chuckled slightly. "Perfect, really. A crown for Queen B."

Blair laughed at that and swatted at Serena.

"Shut up."

Serena ducked out of the way, laughing even harder.

"What? Don't tell me you didn't think about that.", she teased.

Blair crossed her hands haughtily, pretending to pout, until she too burst out laughing.

"It may have crossed my mind once or twice.", she admitted.

"Now we only have to find your king!"

Blair frowned at this, remembering she was yet to tell Nate. She had ignored his birthday text and rushed to Serena's instead. They had standing plans for brunch at the Palace and she realised she better get going, lest she be late.

"Speaking of, I better go talk to Nate before I start holding auditions.", she told Serena, sobering up from their giggle fest. Serena stopped laughing and got up to help Blair back into her dress. Once she was ready, Blair sighed and turned to Serena.

"Okay, wish me luck."

"It's gonna be okay B., Nate believes in soulmates as well, he'll understand.", Serena assured her, flicking a non-existent piece of lint off of Blair's shoulder.

"I hope you're right."

Blair walked into the restaurant with her shoulders squared and her head held high. She soon spotted Nate at their usual window table, looking anxious. He hadn't spotted her yet, and in a couple of long strides, she was in front of him.

"Nate...", she breathed out, suddenly at a loss for words. He stood up, looking at her with those impossibly blue eyes and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Happy birthday, Blair.", he said softly, an unsure smile gracing his lips.

Blair sat down next to him, and gave her order to the waiter who had appeared at their table out of thin air, before turning to smile at Nate, grabbing a hold of his hand with both of hers.

"Thank you, Nate. I'm sorry for not answering your text, I fell asleep before midnight."

She smiled at him apologetically before averting her eyes to look at their joined hands.

"We don't match, do we?", Nate asked her softly, giving her hand a little squeeze.

Blair looked up at him, surprise and relief mixing in her features. Nate just smiled at her affectionately, although she could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Blair, I know you love me, and I hope you know how much I've always loved you, even though I may not have been able to show it that well throughout the years. But.. I think we both always knew on some level. You're hardly a maple leaf kind of girl after all."

He chuckled slightly at that last statement, and Blair returned his smile tentatively.

"I guess not.", she agreed. "But where does that leave us? Even though we're not soulmates, you're one of my oldest friends, and I'll always care for you deeply. I don't want to loose you, Nate."

She looked up at him, the edges of her vision blurred by unshed tears. Nate reached out with his free hand to cup her face gently.

"Hey, no-one is loosing anyone. I'll still be here for you, Blair. Always.", he reassured her and Blair nodded her head. One corner of Nate's lips quirked into a smile as he removed his hand from Blair's face. "If you were anyone else, I'd suggest we keep on dating casually until we find them, but we both know you don't do anything casual."

Blair laughs at that and wipes the water pooling in her eyes.

"True. There was never anything casual about us. So we stay friends?", she half states and half asks.

"So we stay friends. And it's going to be awkward as hell for a while there, but with our group of friends, it's hardly going to be front page news for long.", he waggled his eyebrows at her.

She laughed again, before rolling her eyes in agreement.

"Well yeah, since we deemed fit to be friends with Serena and Chuck."

Nate joins in on her laughter and the waiter soon brings their food, sensing when the timing is right, as all five star restaurant waiters do. They soon start chatting as they usually do, and if they have to make a conscious effort not to touch each other affectionately as they usually would, no-one mentions it. They avoid the topic of her mark, both feeling it would be too much too soon. An hour later, they say their goodbyes since Blair has to go to Tiffany's, and Nate is waiting for Chuck to make an appearance.

Just as she is turning a corner towards the lobby, she quite literally runs into the man in question. He reaches out a hand to steady her, before smirking in that annoying way of his.

"Waldorf.", he nods in acknowledgement, letting go of her arm.

She nods in turn. "Bass."

Some people find it odd that the two of them almost exclusively address each other by their surnames, seeing as they've been friends forever. But for them, it's a sort of a private joke, a sign of mock respect for their partner in crime. What most people don't know is that Chuck and Blair have been friends long before they befriended Nate and Serena respectively on the first day of elementary school.

"If memory serves, congratulations are in order. Happy birthday, Waldorf.", he says, letting a hint of genuine affection show in the warmth of his eyes.

Blair scoffs at that. "Please, Bass, like you could ever forget, you knew my birthday before you knew your own.", she says with a raised eyebrow, challenging him to contradict her.

Chuck bows his head slightly in mock defeat and looks up at her with a glint in his eye.

"So, what's the verdict? Is there now a certain Canadian-looking plant adorning your delicious thigh?"

Blair rolls her eyes at his usual innuendo-filled words and shakes her had slightly.

"As a matter of fact, no, Nate and I are not soulmates.", she retorts, jutting her chin out defiantly.

Chuck looks completely unsurprised at the news and gives her a knowing look.

"Green was never your colour anyway.", he says with a smirk. "So, did it end up being a butterfly?"

He refers to a month long period when she was five and claimed adamantly that her mark would have to be a butterfly. He in turn spent the month drawing butterflies on her wrist.

Blair lets the cold façade drop for a moment and smiles fondly at him, surprised he still remembers that.

"No, no butterfly for me.", she says softly before returning to her business like manner. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm running late. I'll see you at the party tonight."

She is a couple of feet away already, before he retorts.

"So, you gonna tell me where it is?", he asks, voice full of innuendo and the accompanying smirk present on his face when she turns around to look at him.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours.", she teases, laughing airily at his momentarily dumbstruck expression.

Chuck looks at her retreating form for a moment, dragging a thumb over his lower lip with an amused expression on his face. He soon turns around and heads for the restaurant, where Nate is waiting for him.

 **Hey guys, sorry for any and all mistakes, I was a bit rushed while writing this. I hope you liked the mark and the tiny interaction with Chuck. I have a different personal history for them as you may have noticed, and I will expand on that in future chapters. The next chapter will probably be Chuck's POV.**

 **I had a problem putting the link for the crown here, so it's now the cover image for this fic.**

 **It's drawn in pencil here, imagine it in a metallic silver color and there should be a big red ruby in the center.**

 **Also, COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT, your comments are the air I breathe.**

 **xoxo,**

 **Sarrrah**


	3. When we were just Chuck and Blair

**Hello everyone ! I'm sorry for the wait, I've been really busy, and the muse was not that inclined to inspire me, but the next chapter is finally here xD Your comments are seriously the air I breathe, and rereading them was the kick in the behind I needed to write this chapter. I am so amazed at all the wonderful things you've said, so thank you for that so very much, you guys are incredible. I am still somewhat shocked at the response this story has received and I feel all the more obligated to write something you'll approve of.**

 **This is the promised chapter with some Chuck POV, I hope it's to your liking.**

 **As always, any and all comments are so very welcome.**

 **The stuff in italic is mostly flashbacks, as well as one Gossip Girl blast, I thought is was about time we heard from her.**

 **Enjoy !**

3\. When we were just Chuck and Blair

 _A four year old Charlie Bass was enjoying a sunny day in Central park, accompanied by his life-long babysitter, Magda. He was going backwards, trying to make Magda laugh, when he collided with something tiny that let out a dignified scoff. He turned around to see a brown haired girl, roughly his age, standing up and adjusting her headband, glaring at him._

 _"Watch where you're going.", she said, sounding way more intimidating than any doe-eyed four year old has the right to sound._

 _Charlie looked at her, wide eyed and nervous, and started fidgeting with his miniature bow tie._

 _"Sorry.", he mumbled, chancing a look at her._

 _The girl took in his shy stance and extended a hand, as though in a dare._

 _"Blair Waldorf.", she said, with a big, if somewhat sharp, smile._

 _Charlie stood a bit taller and gripped her hand firmly like Bart taught him._

 _"Charles Bass.", he said, shaking her hand a bit._

 _Blair seemed to have reached a decision, her whole face set in determination._

 _"I'll call you Chuck."_

 _And the rest, as they say, is history._

Chuck Bass swirled the scotch in his glass absentmindedly, staring out the window, but not really seeing the New York skyline.

He thought back to the late brunch he had had with Nate and shook his head lightly. He had known, of course, that his bright eyed and shaggy haired friend could never be it for Blair. They may have been the perfect couple on the surface, but there had always been a fire in Blair, a hunger for life and all it had to offer, and Nate just wasn't someone who could keep up with that. Despite this knowledge, he had hoped against reason that Nate's leaf might still turn up on Blair's thigh, perhaps through the shear force of her will.

That, he could have lived with, Nate would have been good for her, but now there was some guy out there with Blair's mark on his body, and Chuck couldn't help but think that whoever it was, he couldn't possibly be worthy of Blair. People might think that Chuck Bass doesn't have a heart, but there was always this one girl he had a soft spot for, his doe eyed best friend and partner in crime, Blair Waldorf.

They have been friends for far longer than either of them cared to admit. It was the single secret not even Gossip Girl knew, Chuck and Blair had been a dynamic duo long before they met the two blonds. Chuck was the only person who saw the mischievous vixen behind Blair' perfect image, and she in turn was the one person who called him out on his bullshit. Their friendship had changed and evolved throughout the years, but when push came to shove, they were there for one another.

He remembered his own 18th birthday party and how everyone kept bugging him about his mark. He never thought the mark, nor the woman he shared it with, would be of any real consequence to him. When he had however finally laid eyes on it, he knew that the day this woman walked into his life, he would be hers for all eternity. So Chuck threw himself into parties and debauchery and decided to just enjoy his wicked ways until his soul mate made an appearance.

Blair was the only person who never asked about his mark, they only broached the topic once. It was at his party, they found themselves alone on the balcony, watching the sparkly skyline of The Big Apple.

 _Blair swirled the scotch in her glass and averted her eyes from the view as Chuck approached her and leaned on the fence next to her. She looked at him questioningly._

 _"What's wrong Bass, wont your fans miss you?"_

 _Chuck chuckled slightly and she could tell he was buzzed._

 _"Maybe I just wanted the pleasure of your company, Waldorf."_

 _He tried to play it of as nothing, but Blair heard a boy long gone in his voice, and the expression on her face softened. She reached out with her hand and squeezed his forearm._

 _"So, this girl… The one who is going to take over my spot as the most important woman in your life, do you think she'll be worthy of you?"_

 _Blair smiled, a glint in her eyes, and laughed as Chuck snorted and looked at her._

 _"You're really something Waldorf.", he said, looking into the distance once again. "I didn't think there was much to live up to, where my soulmate is concerned."_

 _Blair smiled slightly at how he stumbled over the s-word, as he usually called it, and squeezed his arm harder._

 _"Hey, that's my best friend you're talking about."_

 _Chuck looked at briefly, a shocked expression flying over his face for a brief moment. It had been a long time since the two of them had been this open about the tenderness they reserved for one another. Blair just smiled, a rare real warm smile gracing her lips, instead of the brilliant sharp one she used in her everyday life._

 _"No matter what you think, she'll be lucky to have you, you know?"_

 _Chuck reached out with his free hand to squeeze the one Blair left on his forearm. They stood there for a long time in silence, just looking into the distance and enjoying the comfortable silence._

As with every tender moment, they brushed this one under the carpet as well, and continued with their barbs and their sarcastic comments. Remembering what Blair's words, as well as her mere presence, meant to him that night, he decided to do something special for her birthday.

Blair stood in her room, dressed only in her undergarments, trying to decide what to wear. This day had been so very long, and she still had the party to attend, when all she wanted to do was curl up in her bed and sleep for a week. While it was true that she wasn't freaking out about not being matched with Nate, it had been exhausting listening to everyone's fake compassionate words. All of her, so called, minions have barely contained their smiles upon hearing the news, and Blair had no doubts it was they who informed Gossip Girl. She had received the blast just as she was leaving the jeweler's.

 _Well well well, it would seem that the fates threw a wrench in Queen B's carefully laid out plans. If the word on the street is to be believed, the Waldorf heiress' Soul mark does not match Nate's. Well, Blair's loss is every girl in Manhattan's gain._

 _Can her majesty find a worthy replacement or will she be bitter that the Archibald heir slipped through her fingers?_

 _Time will tell._

 _Until then, you know you love me,_

 _xoxo, Gossip Girl_

Blair was furious, why was it that everyone expected her to be the one to have a nervous breakdown, didn't Nate have just as much reason to be heartbroken, or did everyone just assume he was the one settling in their relationship? Well, she would just have to look her best tonight and show everyone that she was still the Blair Waldorf they all loved and feared, with or without Nate. She pulled out her black, never worn, Valentino and a pair of fitting Jimmy Choos and started getting ready.

Two hours later had her strolling into the apartment, hair up and head held high, reminiscent of the Black Swan. As if sensing her attitude, her minions flocked to her faster than ever and she did the royal round, chatting with people and thanking them for coming, although they all know it was they who should be thanking her for being invited. Nate was nowhere to be seen, but she knew he wouldn't be there, it's too soon from their breakup, no matter how amicable it had been. It still feels weird, celebrating her birthday without him, it's like missing a limb, after years of them being attached at the hip. An hour or so later, she is too tired of keeping the empty smile on her lips and exchanging niceties she doesn't really mean, so she takes her chance and escapes to the balcony.

She watches the lights of New York City and wonders if one of them belongs to the man with a crown on his hip. She knows it's not realistic, but she wishes he were here with her now. Chances are she will celebrate many more birthdays without him, there are no rules as to when one meets their soulmate, it could be tomorrow or it could be 20 years from now. She shudders at the thought, she doesn't think she could wait for him that long. Some people happily enjoy relationships before meeting the one, but she knows that's not something she could do, if she couldn't stay with Nate, wonderful darling Nate who she loved so very much, she is sure she will remain alone until she meets her soulmate.

She is brought back to earth by a cough from her left side and she startles, seeing Chuck there, leaning against the balcony with his elbows propped.

"How long have you been standing there?", she asks in an accusatory tone, lifting her eyebrow.

Chuck just chuckles slightly, moving to lean against the balcony, mimicking her pose.

"You were somewhere else, I figured I'd give you a couple of minutes before announcing myself.", he smirked, glancing at her sideways. "Thinking of your soulmate?"

Blair sighs and resumes watching the skyline.

"I guess I spent so long convincing myself it'd be Nate that I can't remember the last time I dreamed about who he could be."

She feels more than hears Chuck's chuckling and turns to glare at him. Chuck just smiles sheepishly.

"Sorry, it's just that I had a déjà vu of a 12 year old Blair explaining to me how it was entirely possible Prince William could be her soulmate."

By now he's shaking with suppressed laughter, his eyes twinkling, and she laughs her first real laugh of the evening, Chuck joining in immediately.

"Ah yes, my dreams of a royal wedding. And then Kate had to swoop in and steal him from me."

Chuck rolls his eyes at her and bumps her shoulder with his.

"Come one, you can't still hold a grudge about that. Besides, Harry is still available."

Blair sighs a long-suffering sigh and waves the thought away with her hand in a rather dramatic gesture.

"Alas, his latest escapades ended in a naked photo where everything could be seen, including his mark."

Chuck laughs at her antics, but soon gets a serious look in his eye and Blair stands to attention, knowing she is about to witness a rare moment of Chuck Bass being genuine about something.

"You don't need a prince though, you'll always be the Queen B of Upper East Side. And whoever he is, he'll be worthy of you, that's what the marks guarantee after all.", he says, although he can't possibly imagine who is this man who could fully understand his friend, in all her complicated glory.

Blair smiles at him tenderly and puts her hand on his pinstripe clad arm, in a move reminiscent of their last heart to heart. They both seem to recall his birthday, when she was the one reassuring him and Chuck decides that that was enough sappiness for one night from two of the biggest badasses of the Upper East Side. He straightens up and reaches for the velvet box in his suit.

"Ready to receive you present?", he asks, the usual innuendo coating his voice.

Blair just snorts in a rather unladylike manner, but her eyes are twinkling as she knows Chuck's presents, to her at least, are usually perfect.

He hands over the box, and watches her eyes widen as she sees the diamond Ericson Beamon necklace she put on hold, without really expecting anyone to get it for her, considering the outrageous price. Chuck considers it a success since he has managed to render Blair Waldorf temporarily speechless.

"You want me to put it on you?", he asks quietly and she just nods, apparently not trusting her voice yet.

Chuck takes it out of the box and gently clasps it around Blair's neck, noticing her shiver as the cold, diamond studded pieces fall on her clavicle. He rearranges a couple of pieces, and Blair reaches out to touch his hands lightly, looking up at him with suspiciously shiny eyes.

"It's perfect, Chuck, thank you."

Chuck is starting to think that the necklace wasn't the best way to go in order to stop them both from getting sappy, but there is nonetheless warmth spreading through his chest at making her happy.

"Something this beautiful deserves to be seen on someone worthy of it's beauty.", he says, half serious, half joking. Blair just smirks at his tone and swats at his shoulder.

"Shut up, Bass."

Chuck smirks back at her and leans against the balcony, next to her, assuming their previous pose.

"Your wish is my command, Waldorf."

She only bumps their shoulders and resumes her silent vigil of the city that never sleeps, and if there's a slight blush on Blair's neck, Chuck says nothing about it.

 **There you have it guys, I really hope you liked it !**

 **Please review and tell me what you thought, if you have any ideas or wishes etc.**

 **Each and every comment you leave means a lot, so don't be shy xD**

 **Until next time !**

 **xoxo, Sarrrah**


	4. It's not a race, but it really is though

**Hey guys, I am SO SO SORRY for not uploading a new chapter for such a long time, but the muse was simply not cooperating. Thank you for sticking with me and thank you for your wonderful comments, they got me through this funk. Here's the long awaited next chapter, I hope you enjoy !**

 **Love you all !**

 **4\. It's not a race, but it really is, though**

Serena comes out to the balcony in search of Blair and groans at the sight of her and Chuck standing there in companionable silence. No matter how long she's known them, she has never been able to completely figure out the nature of their relationship, and seeing them together always fills her with equal parts of dread and anticipation. After all, she has always had a front row seat to all of the evil twins' schemes, and her fears are valid.

"Blair…," she calls quietly and shivers as the two brunettes turn in perfect sync.

"It's time for the cake, you should both come inside."

Chuck straightens his suit up and starts towards the door.

"Ah yes, I only wanted to give Blair her present, but I should be off now, the night life awaits. As do the ladies of the night," he chuckled darkly.

Blair scoffed at that, but felt oddly relieved that at least Chuck would always remain the same, a womanising playboy, a teenage menace and her partner in crime, the one constant thing in her life. With Serena, she never knew, the blond had always been flighty, and you never knew when the next year long trip might happen and her friendship with Nate was currently on rocky feet, no matter what they have promised each other. It was ironic really that Chuck, the one out of the four of them who was definitely least responsible, seemed to be the most reliable person in her life.

"Run along, Bass, I wouldn't want your newest conquest to miss out." She calls to him in a mock serious voice.

He turns around to send a smirk her way, and answers her while walking backwards, hands raised to the side.

"I will be sure to pass the sentiment along. As soon as I meet her, that is."

Blair shakes her head chuckling under her breath before turning to look at Serena. The look on the blonde's face speaks of confusion and curiosity.

"What?" Blair inquires, suddenly feeling defensive.

Serena just laughs, shaking her head in amusement.

"Nothing, I'm just amazed that watching the two of you interact still hasn't lost its charm for me."

Blair looks at her with a raised eyebrow, feeling rather confused by Serena's proclamation.

"What's so funny about Bass' and mine interactions, exactly?"

This just seems to spur Serena's amusement on.

"I don't know, it's like, on the one hand, you are the proper Queen B, every hair in its place, the image of perfection, and Chuck is… well, Chuck. One could say the two of you couldn't be more different, but on the other hand, sometimes it's like the two of you speak in a language only you guys know. It's weird."

Blair frowns at that, Serena does have a point; she would have probably never befriended Chuck had she met him, say in high school. The way it was, however, Chuck has been a part of her life since she could remember and she could never imagine him not being there to exchange barbs, plot with and even have the occasional heart to heart with.

"I guess I've known him for so long that I no longer question his presence in my life, it's a given."

Serena takes this in and nods in understanding, before her eyes light up with a question.

"But what do you guys talk about when you're not plotting. For instance, what were you talking about just now?"

Blair considers the question, all the while fiddling with the necklace Chuck had bought for her.

"All kinds of things, my soulmate, my childhood dream of marrying into the Royal family…"

She smiles at that last part, still adjusting the necklace.

"You guys actually talk about stuff like soulmates? He won't even say the word in front of me or Nate."

"Yeah, well, we've been best friends since we were four."

Serena looks thoughtful at that and looks into the distance.

"Yeah, I guess I always forget about that, with all the 'Waldorf's and 'Bass's being exchanged between the two of you."

At that moment, Serena finally notices the shiny necklace adorning Blair's neck and proceeds to scream excitedly.

"Oh my God, Blair! Is that THE diamond Ericson Beamon necklace you've been fawning over for the past month?"

Blair chuckles at her friends' over enthusiastic response and nods her head.

"Yes it is, Chuck got it for me, do you like it?"

Serena seems dumbstruck for a moment, and then seems to get a hold of herself, as she takes Blair's hand in order to drag her back to the party.

"Best friends, got it. I should consider becoming best friends with Chuck myself if it'll get me presents like this."

Serena laughs, but Blair is unable to joke back as she is suddenly in the midst of a huge crowd of people singing Happy Birthday to her, while a waiter brings a huge chocolate cake out.

She joins in on all the fun and thinks of her soulmate as she blows out the candles. As she lifts her gaze, she sees Chuck watching her with a slight smile gracing his lips. Having caught her eye, he mock salutes her before turning to leave for real this time. She gets it, they don't do emotional and mushy that often, and when they do, they like to pretend those moments never happened. She spends the rest of her birthday party in a sort of a daze, just enjoying being the centre of attention for once. She arrives home on the early hours of the morning, just before the sun will rise, and falls asleep almost instantly. The last thought on her mind before oblivion claims her is about her soulmate. "I hope he gets me and all my craziness, it would have been so much easier if it was someone I knew already."

Blair wakes up feeling absolutely amazing, it's a beautiful Sunday morning and she spends most of it in bed. She reads the newspaper, checks what's new on Gossip Girl, has breakfast in bed and finally decides she should put some clothes on around noon.

She decides on a curve-hugging black-beige-white-blue striped knee-length dress, pink strappy sandals and some heavy metal-looking pieces of jewellery. She completes the outfit with a big leather bag and a side braid. Now she just needs someone to join her on her traditional Sunday walk in the park. She thinks of calling Serena, but she really isn't in the mood for listening to the blonde talk about Dan. She already has her happily ever after, and yet she keeps on finding drama where there is none to be found. And Blair gets it, she really does, finding your soulmate doesn't mean you don't have to work on it; it's not going to be perfect if you are lazy about your relationship. It's just that it's hard to listen to someone complain about working on it with their soulmate, when you are nowhere near to finding yours. She is certainly not going to hang out with her posse, and Nate is out of the question, so she finds herself dialling Chuck's number. She lets it ring five times and is just about to admit defeat, when he answers, voice broken and sleepy.

"Whaddaya want Blair?"

He is trying very hard to sound upset, but she sees right through him. She laughs at his grogginess and proceeds with her plan.

"I will have you know it's a beautiful Sunday morning and I am about to go for a walk through Central Park."

He starts to complain but she cuts him of before he can utter a word.

"And since our friendship began by you slamming into me there, you can't say no."

He sighs melodramatically, but she hears the rustling of silk sheets in the background and she knows she's won.

"Okay, I'm up and I will meet you there in ten. But you seriously have to stop using that card, it's been 14 years, let it go."

She hears the laughter in his voice and snorts.

"It's for the sake of your manhood, so you can tell yourself I blackmailed you, when you're just a big softy who loves spending time with his bestie."

She coos at him, laughing all the while and hears an indignant snort coming from her phone.

"Yeah, yeah, shut up Waldorf, or I'll change my mind."

He unceremoniously hangs up after that, but Blair just smiles and proceeds to go to the duck pond they frequented as kids. Her mind goes back to this one afternoon when they were both twelve and they had just had their first fight because Chuck was jealous of Serena.

 _"Okay, I'm sorry I called her a stupid girl, but I don't want you to stop hanging out with my just 'cause she's the one you talk to about boys and make-up and whatever it is you two talk about."_

 _Blair smiles slightly and catches his pinkie with her own in the gesture of peace they used when they were kids._

 _"Come on, Chuck, you know you'll always be my best friends, Serena can't take that away."_

 _He reluctantly raises his eyes to meet hers and melts a bit at the sincere look he finds there._

 _"Yeah, okay, let's go and find Nate and Serena," he grumbles but doesn't release her pinkie until they find the two blonds._

He shakes her head and laughs at the memory. They were only staring to grow into the people they would become, but even at twelve, Blair had her signature headbands and Chuck had just introduced scarves to his wardrobe. They have always been the prince and princess of the Upper East Side, until she grew into Queen B, and Chuck, well he became Chuck.

At that moment she sees him in the distance and waves him over. He draggs his feet but finally reaches her.

"Seriously, Blair, a walk in the park? It was your 18th birthday yesterday; you should basically still be drunk."

Blair gives him a quick peck on the cheek and raises one finely sculpted eyebrow.

"Well. Since you decided to bail early and Serena was being all cute with Dan, I didn't have the right company. "

Chuck chuckles at that and offers her his arm, which she accepts.

"Okay, we are going to have a celebration of our own tonight and I am going to show you how one celebrates their 18th birthday."

Blair agrees and they spend a couple of sunny hours in the park talking and laughing, before saying goodbye having decided to meet at Victrola around eleven for her second birthday celebration.

Blair exits the elevator humming happily until she sees a distressed looking Serena in her living room.

"S, is everything alright, did something happen."

Blair rushes to her friend's side, but Serena just smiles sadly before instructing Blair to sit.

"Yeah, there's something you should know. Nate joined Dan and me for coffee at that coffee shop Vanessa works and well, " Serena pauses for a moment not knowing how to proceed, before deciding to just rip the Band-Aid off and blurting it all out in one breath, "He sort of found out Vanessa is his soulmate."

"HE WHAT?"

 **Thank you all for reading, thank you for not giving up on this story and PLEEEEEASE keep writing those beautiful comments**


	5. Ghost of birthday past

**My dearest readers, I cannot begin to apologize for abandoning you as well as this story for such a long time. Uni started and I had a load of obligations, but my two exam weeks are now over, and I had this nagging feeling there was something I needed to do, so here is a chapter for you guys. It's not that long since I wrote it in like an hour, and you deserve more, but I hope this will placate you into not hating me. 3**

5\. Ghost of birthday past

Serena cringed at the piercing quality Blair's voice had taken on, even though she had expected something like this. She knew Blair was now okay with Nate not being her soulmate, but him finding his soulmate first, and said soulmate being Vanessa… Well, Blair would take that as a personal insult from the gods.

Serena awoke from her musings to see Blair looking at her expectantly, her face painted red in rage.

"Well yeah, we were all just hanging out, talking about soulmates and Vanessa said she would probably have to go all the way to Canada to find hers and it just went from there…" Serena concluded rather timidly, hoping her friend wouldn't kill the very innocent messenger in this particular situation.

Blair inhaled deeply a couple of times until she was sure she had herself under control. She then stood up, brushing off her dress and smiled a strained little smile, so as to calm the blonde looking at her as though she might go on a warpath any minute.

"I'm fine, it's all great. I am happy for Nate, although whichever forces give out these marks have a bad sense of humor for giving him that simple girl."

Serena chuckles at that, concluding Blair must be feeling better if she's putting Vanessa down.

"Oh well, think of it this way, now you have no reason to feel guilty about finding your Prince Charming."

Blair smiles a tiny smile at that, before throwing a smirk Serena's way.

"Please Serena, I've had a prince for years, and now I think I'm ready for a king." She says while haughtily lifting her nose in the air.

Serena laughs and stands up herself to hug her friend, proud of her for being brave in an impossibly hard situation.

Blair squeezes Serena's hand before trying for some humor, although prematurely it would seem, if Serena's groan is any indication.

"Well, happy birthday to me."

Serena opts for pulling on her braid instead of telling her how bad the joke was and just continues hugging Blair in one of those boa-like strong hugs. Blair feels a lump in her throat and sheds the first tear since finding out Nate wasn't her soulmate. Soon enough she's sobbing, with Serena petting her hair and trying to soothe her. She's crying for the dreams a younger Blair had, for a future that will never be, for the soulmate she craves desperately, she lets out all of the stress and pain of the last two days in one of her very rare crying fits.

It could have been a minute, five minutes, or an eternity, but she finally lifts up her head and smiles a watery smile at her worried blond friend.

"Thank you, I guess I really needed that."

Serena just smiles at her and squeezes her hand one last time.

"It's normal Blair, you and Nate grew up together, he was your first love, your only love really. You are allowed to grieve that, you know?"

Blair looks up at Serena, wondering when her ditzy friend became this wise, then shakes her head and smiles at the thought.

"I know, but I wasn't only crying for Nate, it's just that your 18th birthday is supposed to be one of the best days of your life, you know? And all I feel is stressed and drained and stretched past my limits." She concludes, looking at her feet.

Serena nods compassionately at that and takes out her phone, dialing someone quickly. Blair looks up at her questioningly, but the person on the other side of the line has already picked up, so she just lifts up her finger and smiles mischievously at Blair.

"Yeah, can we please get one chicken satay with extra peanut sauce, one portion of sweet and sour pork and two portions of fried rice?"

Blair starts laughing and Serena just shrugs at her.

"If finding out your boyfriends isn't your soulmate and then him finding his soulmate the next day isn't reason enough for greasy caloric food, I don't know what is."

Half an hour later has them spread out on Blair's bed, eating Chinese food out of boxes in a manner Eleanor Waldorf would deem completely unladylike. "Breakfast at Tiffany's is playing" and Blair feels completely relaxed for the first time in the last 48 hours.

A couple of hours later, Serena has to go meet Dan, but she hugs Blair and tells her to keep her head up and just think of how insignificant all of this will seem once she finds her soulmate. Blair thanks her for the girl time she really needed and feel good enough to actually be excited about getting ready for her second birthday celebration at Victrola.

She goes into her closet and starts riffling through the numerous dresses she organizes by color, material and occasion. She needs something edgy and new and not at all Blair, because tonight she is someone else, or perhaps tonight she will allow herself the opportunity to be who she really is underneath it all.

She decides the time has come to pull out the edgy little black Emilio de la Morena dress. It hugs her curves in all the right places, the asymmetry of it accentuating her slim build and the see through parts walking the line between tantalizing and indecent. It's a dress Eleanor would never let her wear, but there comes a time every Princess has to come out from her mother's shadow and become the Queen herself.

Chuck is waiting for Blair, she has told him she'd be there around half past ten, but he knows her well enough to not expect her before half past eleven. Nevertheless, he went out to get some fresh air, and ironically, light up a joint. He remembers Blair's thirteenth birthday, the party remember for being the first one they played 'spin the bottle' at.

 _"_ _Oh come oooooon, Blair, it's gonna be fun, you might get to kiss Nate." Serena laughed, already a bit tipsy from the champagne._

 _Blair shook her head vehemently and looked at Serena with an insecure look in her eyes._

 _"_ _No, S., you know I've never kissed anyone, I don't want my first kiss to be with someone gross like Chad."_

 _But Serena was no longer listening; she went over to the group that had already started playing. Blair sighed and looked wistfully at the perfect Nathaniel Archibald, the boy she had decided would be her first kiss. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't heard Chuck's approach._

 _"_ _You scared of playing, Waldorf?" He teased, causing her to turn around with the familiar fire in her eyes that appeared most often in Chuck's company._

 _"_ _Of course not, I am Blair Cornelia Waldorf, I am not afraid of anything." She said stubbornly, pursing her lips and adjusting her headband, a nervous habit that told Chuck exactly how scared she was._

 _His eyes softened and he curled his pinky around Blair's._

 _"_ _Come on, tell me what it is?"_

 _Blair scrutinized his face, and upon realizing he was sincere, she hunched her shoulders forward and spoke in a tiny voice._

 _"_ _I've never kissed anyone and I would rather die than have Chad or Thomas be my first kiss."_

 _Chuck really tried not to, but he had to chuckle at that, which earned him a vicious punch to the shoulder._

 _"_ _Ouch, okay okay, no need for that. It's just, the first kiss, it doesn't matter, you deiced which ones matter."_

 _Blair looked up to check if he was mocking her and seemed to reach a decision._

 _"_ _I want you to kiss me."_

 _Chuck sputtered at that, certain he had heard wrong._

 _"_ _Blair, are you crazy, why would you ask me that?"_

 _She got that devious little look in her eye at his panicked response._

 _"_ _Well, you just said it didn't matter and I know you've kissed girls before. Plus, I trust you." Her tone grew more serious towards the end as she looked up expectantly at him._

 _Chuck shook his head, but smiled and suddenly pulled her to him so that they were hidden from view. He heard her inhale sharply upon landing against his chest and chuckled at that. But when she looked up at him with those big innocent doe eyes, he realized what huge responsibility it was to give his romantic best friend her first kiss. He held her head in his hands with an atypical tenderness and kissed her soft lips for a few brief seconds. Her eyelids fluttered open a couple of moments after the kiss had ended and she smiled softly._

 _"_ _Thanks Chuck, I knew I could count on you."_

 _With that she left and joined the game, followed closely by Chuck and she forgot who it was she kissed first in the game cause her first kiss had come from Charles Bartholomew Bass, even though it would never be mentioned again._

Chuck smiled softly upon remembering giving Blair Waldorf her first kiss. They had never been romantic and he never liked her that way, but in a way, he was happy that she trusted him enough to ask and got her first kiss from someone who cared for her.

He was actually rather happy their relationship never grew into something more, because Blair was too important, their friendship was too important to be ruined by attempts at something more. So whenever someone asked about their relationship, voice usually filled with innuendo, he would rebuff them quickly and just be grateful he had her in his life.

Just as he inhales the last drag, a town car stops in front of Victrola and a goddess of a woman with these long milky legs and wavy dark hair emerges from it. In that moment she turns around and he realizes its Blair. His innocent best friend is nowhere to be found in this vixen of a woman, and his last thought before rushing to her side is "Well, this is going to be a long night.".

 **this is the dress I imagined for Blair - .it/30wqtx-l-610x610-dress-blair+waldorf-leighton+meester-little+black+dress-black+mini+dress-gossip+girl-sheer+dress-black-sheer-cute+dress-short+party+dresses-sexy+party+dresses-black+cut+**

 **I really hoped you liked this, it wasn't exactly action packed, but I hope the flashback scene was enough to satisfy your Chair hearts. I will try and update soon since I've been bad these past couple of months.**

 **Until then, you know you love me !**

 **xoxo,**

 **Sarrrah**


	6. Chapter 6

**I AM SO SO SORRY! Seriously guys, I know how terrible it is to fall in love with a fic and then have the author disappear on you midway through. I hate myself for how long I kept you waiting. I never abandoned this fic, I tried writing this chapter numerous times, but it just wasn't working and I had so much happening in my private life that I stopped trying at one point.**

 **However, I want you to know that your reviews and the love you showed for this world I've created managed to inspire and motivate me. Rereading your lovely reviews today gave me ideas and made me rise up to the challenge.**

 **I also have to give a special shout out to Almaloney33 who kept messaging me and encouraging me to keep writing. If it weren't for the promise that I made to her, this may have taken even longer.**

 **It's now 2.30am where I am and I wrote this all in one go in a couple of hours. It is unedited and there may be mistakes but I wanted to post it immediately.**

 **It's not too long but I really hope you like it and pleeeeeeeease don't hate me for taking so long.**

6\. When the curtain rises

Blair checked her make-up one last time and opened the town car's door before she could second-guess her choice of attire. To her surprise, Chuck was already there to close the door and offer her his hand, ever the perfect gentleman, which he tended to be when it came to her.

He checked her out blatantly and tried for his usual smirk, though it came out strained for some reason.

"Someone certainly dressed to impress."

Blair's lip twitched in an attempt at a smile while she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow.

"Well, I came to the conclusion that if I am to die alone, I might as well do it looking fabulous." She laughed a humorless laugh while Chuck frowned at the cynicism coming from his usually optimistic and idealistic friend. He stopped for a second and squeezed her hand, urging her to look at him.

"That sounds rather dramatic Blair, even for you. What's going on?"

Chuck's use of her first name and the genuine concern adorning his face told Blair just how out of character she was acting, for him to drop his usual façade like that. This prompted her to lower her guard down as well.

"I found out that Nate met his soulmate today. It's Vanessa of all people." She huffed out an annoyed breath and looked up at Chuck defiantly.

Chuck held his breath for a moment and then burst out laughing, which prompted Blair to hit him hard on the shoulder.

"It's not funny Chuck!" She exclaimed haughtily, reminiscent of the bratty little girl he met her as, which only prompted further laughter from him. He regained his breath after a couple of moments, only to be met with Blair's best icy glare.

"Oh come on Waldorf, it IS funny. That's the second one of us to go Brooklyn. We're all that's left of Manhattan's royalty now." He looked at her with a glint in his eye until she relented and cracked a smile.

"I may have said something similar when Serena told me." She admitted, as Chuck finally gathered himself enough to resume their entry into Victrola. Chuck just shook his head chuckling slightly.

"Well now we know why Nate has that leaf. I see a future of protesting while tied to a tree in store for him." Blair burst out laughing for real at this as they proceeded to get situated at the central booth, where a chilled bottle of champagne was waiting for them.

Blair made herself at home, leaning slightly into the cushions, shedding the veneer of perfection she usually donned. Meanwhile, Chuck filled their champagne flutes, passing one to her.

"All jokes aside, how are y-"

"Relief. I feel relief." She cut him off mid-sentence and had a hearty sip of her drink. "I spent the longest time convincing myself that Nate was it for me, even when it became obvious he wasn't. Now that he found someone who actually was made for him, I don't have to feel guilty."

Chuck looked at her in confusion.

"What could you possibly feel guilty about?"

Blair took her eyes off the burlesque dancers to look at Chuck.

"Lying to him and everybody else. Playing the part of the perfect woman in the perfect couple. Pretending to be Miss Goody Two-Shoes, which you of all people know I'm most certainly not."

They shared a small smile and Chuck relieved her of her glass in order to refill it.

"That you are not, Waldorf. However, you and I have very different definitions of a perfect woman." Blair rolled her eyes at that and accepted her drink.

"I don't even want to know what your idea of a perfect woman could possibly be."

Chucked laughed at that and waved over a skimpily dressed waitress, carrying a tray of drinks, in order to get them scotch in addition to the champagne.

"I'm not being lascivious for once. I just meant that the real you, the one you spent so much time hiding, is the one I like best. And SHE is certainly closer to being the perfect woman than the proper PG version everyone else knows."

Blair looked at him trying to determine if he was messing with her and her eyes widened in shock when she realized he was being completely serious judging from the jut of his jaw and the lack of mirth in his eyes. Saying that such a display of raw honesty in the form of a compliment was a rarity for Chuck Bass would be an understatement.

"Watch yourself Bass, people might start thinking you have a soft side." She said in an attempt to brush of his statement, but Chuck was having none of that. He reasoned that what was said in Victrola would stay in Victrola and besides, his intelligent gorgeous best friend should know her worth and he was the one who was going to have to explain it to her.

"Listen up, Waldorf, 'cause I'm only saying this once. You are incredibly smart, sinfully beautiful and fiercely loyal to the people you love. You are also cunning and vicious, and you can be downright scary sometimes. But all of those things combined are what makes you one of a kind."

Blair was looking at him in shock, her big brown eyes wide and teary, looking much like the four year old he comforted after she scraped her knee in one of their first ever schemes. He brushed that thought away, though, since he had a point to make.

"You are my oldest and best friend, but I wouldn't be friends with someone my entire life just because I bumped into them when I was four. I'm friends with you because you are one of the few people in this world whom I respect and admire. And if there is such a thing as a perfect woman, I don't know anyone who's come closer to that ideal."

Chuck ended there and downed his whiskey in one big gulp setting the glass on the table with a loud thump. He looked straight ahead and through the entertainers on stage, avoiding Blair's eyes. This little speech he gave seemed necessary in the moment, but he felt uncomfortable and vulnerable with all the pretences stripped away. Blair, on the other hand, let out a shaky breath and threw her arms around his neck.

After a moment of hesitation, Chuck brought his hands around his friend, who, for a woman of her stature, was giving him an incredibly tight hug. He felt a single warm tear drop on his neck, where her head was tucked in, and heard a barely audible "Thank you" whispered into his ear. They stayed like this for a moment and then slowly disentangled and resumed their previous sitting arrangements. They each grabbed their drink and focused on the performers, but their little fingers remained entwined between them.

After Chuck's emotional display, Blair felt lighter than she had felt in years and Chuck, although mortified at having dropped his poker face, was satisfied to have lifted his friend's spirits at such a difficult moment. He proceeded to make good on his promise to show the Waldorf heiress what a birthday celebration should be like and, a couple of hours later, they were both more than slightly buzzed and gleefully cheering on the racier performances that were underway now that the hour was late.

Blair was mesmerized by the addicting atmosphere and the uninhibited movements of the dancers as she swirled her drink slowly.

"You know," she stated slowly, "I got moves."

Chuck raised an eyebrow and smirked at her in a chalenge.

"Really? Why don't you show them how it's done then?"

Blair looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eye and stood up suddenly.

"Guard my drink."

Chuck shook his head in disbelief as Blair walked up on stage confidently, her red soled Louboutin heels creating an echoing sound. She conquered the shoe with her newfound confidence, all the while maintaining eye contact with Chuck. It was now his turn to be mesmerized and he heard a question directed at him, as though through a fog.

"Who's that girl?"

"The Queen of Manhatten." He replied, raising his glass to her.

As she ended her routine, Chuck rushed to his feet to help her down the few steps leading to the stage and she clung to him giggling breathlessly.

"You know, I never thought I'd say this, but it feels so good to be bad."

Chuck laughed at that as he directed her towards the exit seeing as they were both fairly buzzed.

"My mission in life is complete now, Waldorf, you've finally seen the light."

They soon stumbled into the waiting limo, both breathless from laughing and settled in for the ride home. Blair turned towards Chuck and placed a delicate hand on his chest.

"Tonight was amazing. You were amazing. Thank you, Chuck." He smiled a rare soft smile she was certain no one but her ever witnessed and covered her hand with his much larger one, squeezing it lightly.

"You were a goddess up there." He smiled, looking into the distance, seemingly lost in the memory.

Blair inched closer to him and lifted her hand to his face, turning his head towards her. She placed the softest of kisses on his lips, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And in that moment, it was. They locked eyes and the significance of this simple small act dawned on them both. Chuck squeezed her tiny waist, as if to ground her and spoke in a soft voice.

"Are you sure?"

Blair moved in one fluid movement to straddle him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"I trust you."

 **I really hope you liked this chapter. It got very emotional and I hope they didn't go out o character. Tell me what you thought and as always, give me suggestions because this story is never set in stone and I like incorporating anything I can.**

 **I hope you still love me,**

 **xoxo,**

 **Sarrah**


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